Fragments and Drabbles
by NightsofTamara
Summary: All of the little Twilight things I come up with while I should be working on my proper fics.
1. Awakening

Author's note: This is how I imagine Bella's change would end. I know it stops abruptly, but I don't have any plans to continue it at this point.

**Awakening**

I felt the same, but different at the same time. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, trying to determine what had changed. I was still breathing; but all vampires breathed, I reminded myself. But… something was strange. I could hear two sounds, two sets of breathing. That was definitely not normal. I concentrated harder. It seemed that one of the sounds was coming from behind me.

Oh! Edward was here with me, as he'd said he would be… he was holding me against his chest. I hadn't realized right away because he didn't feel cold to me. I could feel his arms around me now, and his breath against my hair. Like my own body, his felt the same but somehow different. Of course he hadn't changed. I had.

Even knowing that Edward was here with me and likely watching me anxiously, I didn't feel any need to open my eyes right away. Part of me regretted drawing out his torment any longer – and it must have been a torment, sitting here these past three days, listening to me scream in agony – but part of me needed to adjust to my new and improved body before I could awaken for the last time. I began listening to the sounds surrounding me, keeping my face smooth so that the tell-tale furrow on my forehead wouldn't alarm Edward. If I even had those lines on my forehead anymore, that was.

I felt a sudden, ridiculous pang of loss. How I hated that little groove between my eyes when I stared at it in the mirror, seeing it deepen and spread into a mass of wrinkles in my imagination, another reminder of how every day - every second of every day - I was aging while he was not. But now that there was a possibility that it was gone forever, in my mind's eye it was suddenly a special and unique part of me. And if I felt this way, after yearning for this change above almost everything else, then how would Edward feel? He didn't want this for me, had never wanted it. What would he think when I opened my newborn's eyes and I was different? Still a little bit the same, but mostly different?

I resisted the urge to sigh. Knowing Edward, he would tell me I was being absurd. And knowing Edward, he was blaming himself for every second I lay here unmoving while I wasted time worrying. I turned my attention back to the sounds of the room around me. Our breathing was the loudest, drowning out other sounds until I discovered that, with effort, I could block it out. Once that was accomplished I began to carefully identify the noises that drifted toward me. I could hear a slight groan as the walls and floorboards settled and the whoosh of the wind as buffeted the house. The windows trembled slightly from the pressure, making a a high-pitched ringing noise that reminded me of a wine glass being tapped with a spoon. There was a strange skittering sound coming from close to where I knew the door to be – a mouse? Beyond the door I could hear a confusing hum of activity: the murmur of voices, doors opening, papers shuffling… The mix of sounds made a frightening clamor and I shied away from it instinctively, retreating back to the comforting rhythm of our breathing.

I felt a touch on my forehead. "Bella?" Edward whispered, tracing his hand along the angle of my cheekbone. My expression must have given me away when the sounds startled me; he knew I was close to waking. I could feel the sweet current of his breath against my cheeks. His face must be only inches from mine. I could picture his anxious golden eyes in my mind and still I resisted opening mine, refusing to let him know that I was okay. I wasn't ready!

A new sound intruded itself on my thoughts, breaking away from the background noise that hovered beyond the door. _Thump thump thump_. Someone walking up the stairs? But they were moving too quickly… no, they were moving too quickly for a human. The footsteps drew closer, then the door opened. The noise sounded painfully loud even though the hinges didn't squeak, and I barely managed to keep from wincing.

"It's over," Alice said quietly as she shut the door behind her.

"It's over," Edward agreed. I could tell without knowing how that I wouldn't have been able to understand them if I were still human. That had always aggravated me, how the Cullens seemed to be able to speak their own private language and didn't always see the need to translate for those of us too slow to keep up.

I heard Alice step closer even though her lithe movements hardly made a sound. "Oh, Edward," she breathed. "She's so beautiful."

I felt a thrill run through my now-unbeating heart at her words, but it was short-lived. "She already was beautiful," Edward said, his voice breaking.

I opened my eyes.


	2. Mine

Author's note: A little drabble about Edward biting Bella.

**Mine**

I sank my teeth into her neck, instantly feeling the gush of warm blood pass over my lips. The bloodlust hit me with the force of a wrecking ball once more; but I had expected that. I could fight it. I knew there was no chance I would go too far, had known it the instant I'd broken her skin.

What I didn't expect was how the monster inside me would react. Perhaps that was why my desire for human blood was suddenly so… toothless, even with her jugular flowing open beneath my lips.

I could hear nothing else. Not the thoughts of my family, hovering nearby; not Bella's precious heart, racing for the last time. She cried out when I bit her, but not even that sound was enough to drown out the monster's exulting voice: _Mine! Mine, forever!_


	3. Darkest Night

Author's note: Since so much of the Twilight fandom is focused around the romance part of the books, I think that the platonic relationships (for example the affection Alice has for Bella and Charlie) sometimes get lost in the wash. We know that Alice was waiting at Bella's house once she returned from her cliff jumping escapades, believing she had died. These are her thoughts during that time.

**Darkest Night**

The house was dark and silent as I pulled up in Carlisle's Mercedes. Likely Charlie had found the empty house unbearable and was sheltering elsewhere. I only hoped he was safe with friends, and not wallowing in his misery alone. I would wait here for a time, and if he did not return I would seek him out.

I stepped from the car, moving far more slowly than I did normally. The echo of the car door shutting sounded loud in the empty street, and I walked to the house as if in a trance. The key was right where it normally hung, and I unlocked the door and slipped inside.

To a human it would be pitch black inside the house, but I could see well enough and felt no need to turn on a light. The darkness was soothing somehow. I closed the door carefully behind me and stepped into the kitchen. The bright yellow cupboards seemed washed out and tired in the moonlight, and the two empty chairs sat accusing me. I had spent many mornings here, helping Bella with her breakfast while her bulky cast limited her movements. Even once she had graduated to a walking cast I came, though it wasn't really necessary. I didn't begrudge any time I spent with my friend, and now that she was gone I treasured those memories even more deeply.

Gone. I closed my eyes and stood motionless in that sad, tiny kitchen, feeling the grief truly well up within me for the first time. The vision had left me reeling, so much so that the pain hadn't made a mark on me at first. Then I'd needed to focus, to plan what I would tell Edward when next I saw him. The implications of that awful conversation, looming unavoidably on my horizons, caused me to flinch away from that train of thought. I would dwell on it later – a more immediate agony was demanding my attention.

I wandered up the stairs to Bella's room and sat on her bed, stroking one hand across the quilt that covered it. Her scent was still quite strong here. It would fade with time, but for now I took a deep breath, wanting to fix it in my memory. She had spent the morning here… her last morning on this earth. I wondered what had gone through her mind. Had she been planning this for some time? Or was it a spur of the moment decision? I took several deep breaths, almost gasping. If I had known it would come to this, I would never have left. None of us would have.

It took some time, but eventually my imitation sobs ceased and I regained some semblance of control. My grief wasn't spent – not even close – but I knew I had to shunt my own pain to the side for the present if I was to be any use to Charlie. He would blame us, I supposed, and he had a right to. Perhaps if he had someone to rage at it would lessen the burden he carried, as a wildfire eventually burns through its fuel. If that was the case, I was the perfect candidate for the job. He could throw everything he had at me – literally – and I wouldn't break or crumble. It was all I could offer at this point.

I could have looked ahead to see what his reaction to seeing me again would be, but for once in my life I was strangely apathetic about what the future would hold. Charlie would be enraged, or he would be inconsolable, or he would be catatonic – what difference did it make anymore? I would do what I could for him, and then I would do the same for Edward, and then maybe once I had put everyone else back together I would go out into the forest and wail out my own grief for a week or two.

The future was quite welcome to stay hidden – I was having enough trouble handling the present.


	4. Sunshine

Author's note: I wrote this for round four of the lj Twilightathon. My prompt was #24: Alice has fun looking into everyone's futures one sunny afternoon. Written from Jasper's point of view.

**Sunshine**

"Alice, what are we doing here?"

She lay perfectly still against the long grass that haloed around her, eyes closed. The day was bright despite the blanket of clouds that covered the sky, barely hiding the sun, which was threatening to break through at any moment. Her skin glowed pearly in the filtered light.

"Alice?"

The very faintest of smiles touched her lips. "You know how Edward likes to spend sunny days?"

"Moping around in the forest?"

"Yes. Though he hardly ever mopes anymore." Like a cat, she opened one golden eye to look at me. "I'm trying to understand the appeal."

I studied our surroundings dubiously. The clearing that Alice had selected after what seemed like hours of aimless wandering was nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't large, just barely wide enough to allow a crescent of light from above to penetrate past the tall, narrow trees that ringed it. The grass near the edges of the clearing was pale and sparse, stunted by the lack of sunlight, but closer to the centre it formed a lush green carpet, dotted here and there by ragged bunches of wildflowers. Alice lay sprawled across it, her face raised to the sky. "Anything yet?" I asked.

"No," she sighed.

"We could always go back." My offhand suggestion wasn't quite as nonchalant as it seemed. Edward had recently purchased a motorcycle and, for reasons I had yet to understand, discarded it as soon as he had brought it home. His loss quickly became my gain, and I discovered there was a certain kind of thrill to be had in racing it up and down the highway that all the fast cars in the world couldn't replicate. Riding on sunny days was even more enjoyable, our tell-tale skin safely hidden beneath leathers and a helmet, and I could think of a dozen roads that were calling my name.

"We haven't given it enough time yet. Sit back. Relax. Enjoy the moment."

I groaned and lay back on the damp grass. "I'd enjoy it a lot more at a hundred miles an hour."

"Shhh. Close your eyes."

I did as she commanded, shutting my eyes obediently, but it wasn't long before restlessness began to creep up on me. I wasn't used to inactivity unless I had a book in my hand or was otherwise mentally occupied, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I should be doing something. It was unnatural.

The sun broke free of the clouds at last, just as Alice had predicted. The warmth felt pleasant against my face, though of course I didn't thermoregulate in the same way that humans did, and it proved to be the distraction I was looking for. Daydreaming about cruising down the highway under a clear blue sky proved to be _almost _as entertaining as the real thing, much to my surprise.

I felt Alice's amusement moments before she began shaking with laughter beside me. "What's so funny?"

"It's Emmett… this internet ordination thing has gone to his head. He found a set of vestments – God knows from where! – and he's marching around the house insisting that everyone call him 'Father Emmett McCarty'."

"I thought we were supposed to be 'enjoying the moment'?" I protested.

"I was bored," she admitted sheepishly.

"_I_ was bored ages ago."

"Oh, hush." She put one finger against my lips. "I'm not done yet." Her brow furrowed as she concentrated briefly before bursting into another gale of laughter.

"You know, sweetheart, we aren't all mind readers," I reminded her.

"He was trying to aggravate Edward," Alice sputtered. "You know, as usual. He was going to hide around the corner, then jump out and throw holy water on him. Edward heard what he was planning, of course, and tricked Rosalie into walking in front of him."

"Sounds like Father Emmett's going to feel the wrath of God."

"I'll say." She smiled. "Father Emmett McCarty just got defrocked."

"I hope he'll recover in time for the wedding. It would be a shame if Edward and Bella had to elope after all."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I'd love to tell you, but unfortunately a few _dogs_ are blocking my view."

"What's Carlisle doing today?" I asked quickly, hoping to distract her. Frustration was a very uncomfortable emotion to receive.

"That's too easy," she scoffed. "Carlisle's working until five… make that five-thirty – Mrs. Dennis is having another gallbladder attack – and then he and Esme are going for a walk down by the river."

"All right. How about…" I cast about for the name of the human boy that Edward had always found so irritating. "Mike Newton?"

"Mike Newton," she mused. "Mike Newton's car is going to break down on his way home from work tonight, forcing him to walk home in the pouring rain."

"Poor Mike," I chuckled. "We should tell Edward."

"Don't bother. I knew it was going to happen as soon as Mike bought that refurbished alternator in May. Edward was delighted, by the way. He's considering making a detour after dropping Bella at home so that he can drive by and splash him."

"And what are he and Bella doing today?"

"Making centerpieces," she replied automatically. "At least they'd _better_ be." I could sense the first flickering of doubt coming from her, and her mouth curved into a frown. "Maybe I should check up on them."

She stared into space again as she searched for Edward and Bella's future. The seconds ticked by; perhaps I'd come up with a challenge for her after all. Her eyes narrowed slightly and suddenly all sorts of emotions were projecting from her: shock, disbelief… embarrassment? I hadn't thought my wife was acquainted with that particular emotion, but there it was.

"Oh my," she exclaimed in a strangled voice.

I stared at her for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"That is _not_ what I told them to do!" she fumed. Anger was quickly becoming her dominant emotion. "I knew leaving them alone was a mistake!"

She glared at me but I couldn't seem to get myself under control, and the temptation to suggest that she 'enjoy the moment' only made it worse. Eventually I managed to reduce my mirth to a foolish grin and the occasional chuckle.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I'm just very relieved."

Her brows rose. "Relieved?"

"You haven't had to deal with all that unresolved lust floating around. It's been the devil on my concentration." My grin widened and I felt a chortle attempting to escape my throat. Alice rolled her eyes. "You have to admit, it's funny."

" 'Funny' doesn't get those centrepieces made," she replied frostily.

"I'll make them myself," I promised with a smirk. "Apparently Edward has better things to do."

Alice's answering growl broke off suddenly, and she relaxed. "Don't worry about it. One of them must have changed their mind." The atmosphere changed to one of satisfaction, and she smiled smugly. "That's better."

"Would you think less of me if I said I was disappointed?"

"Jasper Whitlock," she chided me. "You have _no_ sense of priorities." She rose to her feet in one fluid motion and held out her hand. "Let's go home."


End file.
